Pencil operating mechanism

ABSTRACT

A pencil having a hollow body containing a movable piston secured at one end to the pencil lead and at the opposite end to an external spherical helium-filled balloon or elastic container. The piston is spring biased to retract the lead within the body. The container causes the pencil to float in air and when squeezed, displaces the piston for extending the lead out of the pencil body.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Leila J. Lile 5076 Elmwood Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95130 [2]] Appl. No. 805,734 [22] Filed Mar. 10, 1969 [45] Patented Apr. 27, 1971 [54] PENCIL OPERATING MECHANISM 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 401/52, 40/214, 46/32, 46/44, 46/88, 272/8N, 401/55 [51] Int. Cl B43k 21/02,

B43k 29/00 [50] Field of Search 46/41 44, 88; 40/212, 214; 244/33; 401/52, 55; 272/8 (R), 8

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 258,005 5/1882 Beeson 244/33X YUFWA-CIO Circular 244-3 IUR) Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro Attorney-Yoshio Katayama ABSTRACT: A pencil having a hollow body containing a movable piston secured at one end to the pencil lead and at the opposite end to an external spherical helium-filled balloon or elastic container. The piston is spring biased to retract the lead within the body. The container causes the pencil to float in air and when squeezed, displaces the piston for extending the lead out of the pencil body.

l lllENClll. OPERATING MECHANISM generally to novelty pencils. A p object of the present invention is to provide a a pencil having selfconlained means for floating in the air.

Another object is to provide a novelty pencil including a container of helium secured thereto for making the device bouyant in the atmosphere.

Yet another object is to provide a novelty pencil which is tethered by a cord to a pin secured to a persons clothing.

Yet another object is to provide a novelty pencil which floats in the air and which accordingly is suitable for advertising purposes.

Yet a further object is to provide a novelty pencil wherein the helium container is depressible so to eject a writing end of a lead outwardly of the pencil body, for use as a trick pencil.

Other objects are to provide a novelty pencil which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FlG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention shown airborne and tethered by a cord to person's clothing.

1F l0. 2 is a cross-sectional view on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

HO. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a modified form of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral it) represents a Moon Pencil according to the present invention wherein there is a common lead pencil 11 comprised of a lead core 12 contained within a pencil body 13, the pencil having a pointed writing end M formed by an exposed end of the lead and a conically tapered end of the body.

A spherical container 15 containing helium gas 16 is secured to the opposite end of the pencil.

One end of a cord 17 is secured around the pencil body, the other end of the cord being attached to a clip, pin, or other securing device 18 which is attachable to a garment 19 such as to an edge of a pocket 20 thereof.

A moon face could be imprinted on the surface of the container 115.

In operative use, the pencil will float in the air due to the helium, and thus cause attraction to other persons. Accordingly the device is suitable for advertising purposes.

in a modified construction, shown in FIG. 3, the novelty pencil 21 includes hollow pencil body 22 containing slidable piston secured therein to which one end of pencil lead 24 is secured. A compression coil spring 25 is fitted between a shoulder 26 of the body and one end of the piston to normally urge the piston to retract the end 27 of the lead inwardly into the body. The helium container 28 is of depressible material such as rubber and includes a closed corrugated neck 29 fitted into the central opening of the pencil body, the end wall of the neck bearing against the opposite side of the piston.

in operative use, when the container 28 is squeezed, the end 27 of the lead 24 is extended outward of the pencil body, thus serving as a trick pencil to fool friends.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A pencil comprising a hollow body conicallytapered at one end portion and having an internal shoulder, a piston slidable within said body, a pencil lead having one end adapted to extend outwardly from said tapered portion of the body and secured at the opposite end to said piston, a compression spring between said shoulder and said piston normally urging the latter to retract the lead inwardly into the body, a depressible helium-filled container having a hollow integral closed neck disposed in said body opposite said one end and having against the side of the piston'opposite from the lead, and a tether cord secured to the pencil body for anchoring same.

2. A pencil assembly comprising a hollow elongated body, a

member movable longitudinally within said body a pencil lead secured at one end 0 said member and mova le therewith between a retracted position wholly within the body and an extended position projecting from one end of the body, spring means within said body engaging said member for normally biasing same to the lead retracted position and an elastic container inflated with a gas and secured to said body opposite said one end thereof, a portion of said container being disposed proximate to said member for exerting a force thereagainst when squeezed whereby to move said member to the lead extended position.

3. The pencil assembly according to claim 2 in which said gas is lighter than air whereby to exert a bouyant force on said body greater than its weight.

4. The pencil assembly according to claim 3 in which a tether cord is secured to said body, and anchoring means attached to the free end of said tether cord. 

1. A pencil comprising a hollow body conically tapered at one end portion and having an internal shoulder, a piston slidable within said body, a pencil lead having one end adapted to extend outwardly from said tapered portion of the body and secured at the opposite end to said piston, a compression spring between said shoulder and said piston normally urging the latter to retract the lead inwardly into the body, a depressible heliumfilled container having a hollow integral closed neck disposed in said body opposite said one end and having against the side of the piston opposite from the lead, and a tether cord secured to the pencil body for anchoring same.
 2. A pencil assembly comprising a hollow elongated body, a member movable longitudinally within said body, a pencil lead secured at one end to said member and movable therewith between a retracted position wholly within the body and an extended position projecting from one end of the body, spring means within said body engaging said member for normally biasing same to the lead retracted position and an elastic container inflated with a gas and secured to said body opposite said one end thereof, a portion of said container being disposed proximate to said member for exerting a force thereagainst when squeezed whereby to move said member to the lead extended position.
 3. The pencil assembly according to claim 2 in which said gas is lighter than air whereby to exert a bouyant force on said body greater than its weight.
 4. The pencil assembly according to claim 3 in which a tether cord is secured to said body, and anchoring means attached to the free end of said tether cord. 